Love Won Out

Love Won Out, later known as True Story, was an ex-gay ministry launched by Focus on the Family in 1998. It was founded by John Paulk. Its website's stated purpose was "to exhort and equip Christian churches to respond in a Christ-like way to the issue of homosexuality." The mission statement read, "To provide a Christ-centered, comprehensive conference which will enlighten, empower and equip families, church and youth leaders, educators, counselors, policy-makers, and the gay community on the truth about homosexuality and its impact on culture, family, and youth." Love Won Out was sold to a former affiliate Exodus International as a downsizing measure of Focus on the Family, which had a record profit loss of $6 million by August 2009. In 2012, Exodus International also presented the conferences under the name True Story. On June 19, 2013, Exodus International President Alan Chambers announced the board of directors had voted unanimously to disband and close. Alan Chambers offered an apology to the gay community and reversed his stance on the past teachings of Exodus International's ministry.

Love Won Out's stated objective was to help men and women "who struggle with unwanted same-sex attractions", believing that "same-sex attractions can be overcome", and asserting that "there are no conclusive studies supporting any specific biological or genetic cause for homosexuality". It was the opinion of Love Won Out that "the foundation of society for the family is marriage of a man and a woman for life... Scripture is very clear in its condemnation of homosexual conduct, for such sin is a deviation from God's creation and design." Dr. James Dobson adds that God loves the homosexual as much as any other person.

Love Won Out believed that the Bible regards homosexual conduct as sin. Dr. James Dobson stated "The sin of homosexual behavior, like all sins, can be forgiven and healed by the grace revealed in the life and death of Christ. All sexual sin affects the human personality like no other sin, for sexual issues run deep in our character, and change is slow and uphill - but is possible nonetheless."

Love Won Out said that "The media and others have misrepresented male homosexuality as a pre-determined, biological condition", and that "Contrary to the popular myth that homosexuality is genetic, same-sex attraction is a preventable and treatable condition" The conferences focus on what it terms "the family dynamics that can lead to the development of same-sex desires", stressing that homosexuality is abnormal, claiming, "The goal of gay activists is to 'overhaul' America with the message that homosexuality is normal and healthy."

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